Accident Fund Holdings Celebrates Grand Opening of Its New National Headquarters

LANSING, Mich., March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. proudly unveiled its new national headquarters on the site of the former Lansing Board of Water & Light Ottawa Street Power Station in downtown Lansing, Mich.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110329/DE73529 )

The new facility, located on a seven-acre site on Lansing's riverfront, consists of two buildings – the refurbished former Ottawa Street Power Station power plant and a new building – connected by a four-story atrium, with approximately 330,000 feet of office space, as well as a 1,000-car parking deck.

Long-abandoned, deemed a Brownfield site and threatening to deteriorate, the Ottawa Street Power Station, which has been an integral part of Lansing's landscape since 1938, is now a vibrant anchor in the core of Lansing's downtown.

"Many other companies have chosen to leave the state in recent years, but Accident Fund chose to stay in downtown Lansing to help contribute to Lansing's economic transformation," Liz Haar, president and CEO of Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., said.  "We are committed to investing in the future of Michigan by keeping our national headquarters in downtown Lansing."

The project is the result of a public-private partnership that included:  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Accident Fund, The Christman Company, City of Lansing, Lansing Board of Water & Light and the State of Michigan.

Keeping the new Accident Fund headquarters in downtown Lansing is part of a larger effort by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to operate as a company with a Michigan conscience and a commitment to invest in the well-being of our state's core cities.

"The Blues are committed to the growth and development of downtown Lansing," said BCBSM President and CEO Daniel J. Loepp. "In our 72 years of existence, we have always made the choice to stand for Michigan and that means investing in great cities like Lansing. The opening of this new national headquarters for Accident Fund has already breathed new life into the downtown area and will continue to do so. Hundreds of BCBSM employees will soon be moving from the Creyts Road location to the former Accident Fund building. While the Blues enterprise is already here, we will become an even greater presence in the heart of downtown Lansing.  The new Accident Fund headquarters also allows much-needed room for future growth. That is truly something to celebrate. It is great news for Accident Fund and BCBSM, but it is even better for Lansing and Michigan."

This project employed 106 Michigan-based businesses and suppliers, which was 90 percent of the total contractors and suppliers hired to complete the job.  Additionally, the furniture in the new headquarters is from Steelcase and Haworth – both based in West Michigan – and supplied by local vendors.

"The construction of the new Accident Fund headquarters infused millions of dollars into the local economy over the past three years and put local people to work right here in Lansing," Haar said.  "In a down economy, where few construction jobs were available, this project created nearly one million worker hours."

The new headquarters features wireless technology throughout the campus; the building is designed to optimize employee collaboration and foster the health, safety and well-being of employees; and it features significantly more space devoted to training facilities so more of employees will be able to take advantage of Accident Fund's substantial catalog of internal education offerings.  

"As Accident Fund nears its 100^th anniversary, our new headquarters is a tribute to the outstanding performance of our employees, giving them a new state-of-the-art home," Haar said.

For more information about Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. visit www.afhi.com.

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. is a workers compensation insurance holding company conducting business through four operating units: Accident Fund Companies, located in Lansing, Michigan; United Heartland, located in New Berlin, Wisconsin; CompWest, located in San Francisco, California; and Third Coast Underwriters, located in Chicago, Illinois. Its insurance company subsidiaries are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best.  Accident Fund Holdings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

SOURCE Accident Fund Holdings, Inc.